House Democrats push new comprehensive immigration bill

By Ben Pershing
A broad cross-section of House Democrats unveiled a new comprehensive immigration reform bill Tuesday, laying down an early marker for what they hope will be a major 2010 debate.

More than 80 co-sponsors have already signed on to the legislation, which is authored by Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.) and titled the Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America's Security and Prosperity Act of 2009, or "CIR ASAP" for short. The bill includes provisions strengthening border security, creating a streamlined employment verification system, altering the visa program to promote the reunification of families and establishing a commission to recommend changes to the current system of H-1B and H-2B visas for skilled workers.

The measure, a summary of which is available here (PDF), also contains an "earned legalization program" for current undocumented workers, giving them the chance to get legal status if they pay a $500 fine, pass a criminal background check and show that they have made valuable contributions to American society "through employment, education, military service or other volunteer/community service."

Gutierrez and several members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus as well as the Congressional Black Caucus and other groups jammed into an overstuffed, sweltering House committee room Tuesday to release the bill and demand action.

Standing before a cadre of activists chanting "Si, se puede," and a group of children wearing shirts that said "future voter," Gutierrez said that years of hard work and negotiations on the issue had brought them "to this bill and to this meeting, which marks the final push toward comprehensive immigration reform."

Gutierrez added that the bill was "pro-family, pro-jobs and pro security ... and the time to pass it into law is right now."

Immigration reform was one of the most contentious issues of the 110th Congress, when a concerted effort to reach a compromise bill failed in the Senate despite the support of key members of both parties and President George W. Bush. Neither the House nor the Senate has addressed the topic in a substantive way in the 111th Congress, as health care, climate change and the struggling economy have all taken precedence. And with unemployment over 10 percent, there has been little political will to revisit such a controversial issue.

Reform advocates hope that calculus changes in 2010, even though Congress is often loathe to tackle tough issues in election years.

"As a candidate for president, Barack Obama promised comprehensive immigration reform, and we have brought him the road to success here with this bill," Gutierrez said.

Gutierrez is one of several House Democrats who have complained at times this year that the Obama administration was insufficiently committed to timely consideration of an immigration measure. He said in May that Obama had been "eerily silent" on the issue.

The White House did send a signal to reform advocates in November, when Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano delivered a speech predicting "we will see legislation beginning to move" in the first part of 2010. Napolitano said Obama wanted a "tough but fair" mechanism to allow illegal immigrants to apply for legal status, and said border security had already been improved significantly.

In the Senate, Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Lindsey Graham (R-N.C.) are among those who have been working on reform measures for consideration in 2010. Democratic leaders expect immigration reform to be on the agenda, but it's not first in line.

"The administration has laid out several priorities including financial regulatory reform and clean energy legislation," said Jim Manley, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.). "We hope to consider comprehensive immigration reform in addition to these issues in the first half of next year."

While Tuesday's unveiling was designed to showcase a wide range of support for the new reform bill, the measure quickly drew criticism from some quarters.

"Any bill without a temporary worker program is simply not comprehensive," said Rep. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) a reform supporter who has worked on legislation in the past with Gutierrez.

Flake added that he was "troubled by the weakened legalization requirements in the Gutierrez bill," which does not include the tougher penalties for illegal immigrants applying to become legal that some previous legislation did, such as larger fines and the "touchback" requirement that undocumented workers go back to their home countries and then return.

Rep. Lamar Smith (Texas), the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, was much more scathing.

"This is the kind of legislation that foreign governments would promote, not the U.S. Congress," Smith said. "The amnesty bill does not hold any surprises and lays out the same vision for amnesty that President Obama and the Democrats have promised to the illegal immigrant lobby.... The bill won't pass because the American people oppose rewarding lawbreakers, which then encourages even more illegal immigration."

Here we go again! We told them before we DO NOT want amnesty for these illegal aliens! Now we have 16 million Americans out of work that could be doing the jobs the illegal aliens are doing. ENFORCE THE LAW! Get these illegal aliens back with their families in the Country where they belong! NO AMNESTY!

Enforce our already Comprehensive
Immigration Laws in The US CODE now.
Secure our porous borders. Deport ALL
Illegal Aliens. Imprison their employers
who hired them knowingly. Imprison the I.D.
Thieves who sell these scum other people's
Identification Data. America is for Unites
States Citizens. We are not the world's
dumping ground for undesirables anymore.

How many times do the American People
have to repeatedly stand up with one
voice and shout out "NO!" Why is our
corrupt,craven and Ethnocentric Special
Interest Driven, Congress & White House
inundating our society with Illegal Aliens?
Why isn't anybody in Congress, The White
House and The Justice Department listening
to the vast majority of Americans who do
not want Illegal Aliens in OUR Country?
What are you, Eric Holder? A man, or a
Mouse? Enforce THE US CODE!

My great grand parents came here from italy, took nothing, learned english on their own and were successful. How dare these illegal immigrant lawmakers demand anything from us, they get plenty of handouts for their teen age mothers bearing anchor babies (future voters)and we have to spend our money to teach them english. I feel very sorry for my unborn great grandkids, I guess I need to start saving now so they have enough money to learn to speak spanish someday because there will be no more handouts left. And the CBC is on their side? We have two third world countries against one first world country now.

Time to move to London! If this passes, I'm giving up on this soon-to-be-Third World country.

It will prove that we as a nation don't care about our future and that we are not interested in being economically competitive or in standing up for fairness, meritocracy, talent, education or the rule of law.

Our government's insistence on keeping out the 500,000 foreign students studying here each year, or the hundreds of thousands of Indian engineers applying for a visa, while letting in 12 million underskilled, undereducated people primarily from Mexico gives me a sense that subsequent generations will be less skilled and competent than we are today -- and thus that our strengths in science, business, education, innovation, diplomacy and entertainment will be negatively affected.

That Canada, the UK, Australia and other countries are investing in points-based immigration systems makes me feel that they care about their future. They want to attract educated, ambitious, socially mobile people. We, on the other hand, keep them out and instead reach for the easy solution -- for our low-cost labor needs, or our political ends. But for those of us who think about the future, it leaves us worried about what tomorrow will bring.

Yet the Obama administration's bureaucrats are busy preparing ... preparing to encourage millions of additional unskilled Mexicans to cross into this country illegally; bring down the average skill level, education level, income potential and living standard of Americans; demolish respect for the law in the minds of all Americans; alienate half the population from their own government and country; create generations of economically worthless Americans; send a green light to the Mexican government never to reform itself; definitively tilt the balance of Americans in need of social assistance and welfare and ready to vote for the welfare state that gives them that; and humiliate the millions of could-have-been legal immigrants who have been rejected visas over the years and can't walk across a border to spit at the system.

Obviously, Luis Gutierrez is going to be an unconflicted, disinterested party with the nation's best interests in mind. Right.

OMG...has anyone looked at that pdf??? These people are unbelievable!! This will galvanize the republicans, and I suspect that this battle will make the universal medical care issue look like a picnic....

Somehow I don't think Democrats care about the independent voters. They are so hungry for Latino support that they are willing to let any illegal immigrant in.

Their idea of being tough is a $500 fine. Pathetic. If they want something that Americans can get behind, Democrats need to have the border and job verification elements in place first. Then illegal immigrants need to go the the back of the line.

The key is that we as a country should decide which immigrants have the skills we want and let those folks in.

We definitely need immigrants here who are educated and can help drive growth. We don't need more unskilled labor.

The only amnesty bill I would support is if every illegal immigrant will go back to his country with his/her entire illegal family, re-apply, and get in the back of line of those who have been waiting to enter legally, ahead of them. Also, those applying for legalization status, should show proof that they have either a job waiting for them, or show proof that they can financially support themselves for at least five years. I am just sick and tired of seeing my tax dollars go to people who take advantage of our system.

Lets just legalise all crime then we too can be a third world country just like where they came from! Already they have taken crime in the streets to levels almost equaling their native lands. Well when you have decades of tax dont tax but spend like a sailor republicans you might as well take down the flag and let Limbaugh and Palin delude themselves that they are qualified to run amok!

you dems must be nuts to bring this up right now. america is doing a collective knee-jerk at the freaking mess you are making of EVERYTHING and you decide to throw this in. how about this, congress, you leave the country, enmass, and america will let the illegals in.

you dems must be nuts to bring this up right now. america is doing a collective knee-jerk at the freaking mess you are making of EVERYTHING and you decide to throw this in. how about this, congress, you leave the country, enmass, and america will let the illegals in.

To resolve border issues with Mexico we need to have both immigration and drug reform. The border has become a hotbed of criminal activity due to our dangerous drug laws and the cartels meeting the demands of supply. The border cities are no longer safe to live in or visit.

We need a guest worker program to permit agricultural workers to legally cross the border - to come and go. At the present time, once a Mexican makes it north of the border, he is unable to visit his family in Mexico. He is trapped in the US and is not allowed to return if he leaves. This is a humanitarian issue that needs to be addressed.

Given the hatred and bigotry from the slimeballs commenting on the proposal,
it's obvious that the undocumented
immigrants can only improve the social fabric of the US. I wish we could send the
hate-mongers somewhere where their pestilence doesn't give us such a bad image around the world.

Why are you guys affraid of competing with people that do the hardest jobs for less money, all we hear here is go back, we don't want them etc. You do like to use these folks for cheap labor and honestly I haven't seen too many of us doing the jobs these guys do so I am sorry but I have to say many of us don't have the ambition of these folks, if we cry that we are competing with folks that can't say a word in english is pretty sad for our society

Martin Wolf, head economics correspondent for the Financial Times, recently wrote in that newspaper:

"Immigration is a privilege, not a right. Most people agree. We are then, inescapably, in the messy world of having to decide how - and on what principles - to control immigration. My view is that the interests of the existing citizens are of decisive weight..."

Until Congress and the White House make it clear that they accept that, that they are ready to create policy around it, and that they can control the borders and have any control whatsoever to enforcement of their own laws, Americans are going to be very scared for their own future.

Let them be out of the shadows, have a contribution to our society , they will start spending more, pay more taxes and help our economy, give them opportunity to start a business, give H1B folks the opportunity to start a business, we need these guys,if we want to be honest our work ethic is pretty bad right now for that reason we are affraid of these people I guess otherwise I dont see a reason not to give them the chance to contribute to our economy

I think I'm going to puke. The mess made by illegal aliens in our society is everywhere evident. Latest research from Harvard and Princeton shows them popping out anchor babies with an average IQ of 82. And daily, American children are being molested or killed by these criminals. Nobody is sympathetic to them except the corrupt Hispanic Gang Lobby of MALDEF and La Raza, which want to steal this great country from the European settlers who built it and made it great. Time to arrest all illegal Latino job thieves and frog March them back to their banana republic homelands where they will get the country and government they deserve.

But why not letting them be legal(at least we know who they are) and pay taxes and contribute to the economy, instead of the status quo with them in the shadows, why dont we see the full part of the glass?

These politicians for votes will sell their country, their mothers, their wifes and their children. No country in the world is such suicidal as to allow aliens entring illegally and then demanding citezeship on the premise that they are good people. You might be good people, maybe most of you, but you "raped" our borders. Don't you think you have to pay the price - go home first and then wait in line with no guarantee of re-entry. NO AMNESTY FOR ILLEGALS. RESPECT US INTEGRITY.
I STILL WAIT TO SEE POLITICIANS WHO WILL STAND UP FOR THIS COUNTRY WITHOUT FEAR FOR LOST VOTES FROM ILLEGALS. THEY WILL GAIN VOTES OF LAW ABIDING CITIZENS.

Obviously all the guys fueled by hate here did not own a business in their life, scared of competition and thinking that everybody should lay the red carpet for them to have the jobs whenever they want and work when they feel like it, that's what I see here

Good evening! Apparently, no one here comes from an immigrant family. Well, let me remind you that we are all immigrants. Originally, part of U.S. was their land. Be realistic, are YOU or anyone you know going to take a job that pays $2 an hour and you work 12+ hours a day? I sure wouldn't! Without the immigrants the U.S economy would be worse. We wouldn't be able to afford anything, do you want to pay $5 for a lettuce or $6 for a pound of tomatoes? Americans need to realize that the world no longer revolves around them! It's time to be humble and realize that without immigrants, the U.S. would be in a deeper hole. As far as unemployment, there are jobs out there, americans are just to proud to do certain jobs, get your butt up and look for a job! There is nothing wrong with working at McDonalds, just don't expect to get hired as the CEO! STOP blaming your misfortunes on immigrants, take reponsibilty for your life and the decisions that brought you to the situation that you are in. Unlike others, ALL U.S citizens had the opportunity to receive an education and THEY didn't.

Now, I don't believe that all immigrants should become legal, there are some that are criminals and those should not be prized, but the ones that do work hard and take this seriously, should indeed be legal! Gutierrez's plan does outline that and his plan is that immigrants get a "trial" period of 6 years, after that "trial" they may apply for their residency.

Let's just stay positive and hope that all works out for everyone. We are all human and we all deserve a great life!

@iamredwolf
I am amazed how scared you are that one poor latino will take your job away, man with this kind of mentality we will lose the leadership in the world, I did not think some americans would think that way

Illegal workers provide cheap labor for the agriculture, home building entertainment, landscaping and sanitation industries. As long as lobbyist for these industries bribe the Hill to look the other way and never get equally tough with illegal employers as they would the employees, Mexicans are just another Huckabee Rovian wedge issue to demonize as the total blame for the problem.

The US needs to issue 250,000 work visas, make the migrant workers legal, tax them and make them pay social security and finally be honest about the existing racist hypocrisy regarding illegal immigration.

If Congress weren't so damn afraid of lobbyists, the would adopt the same law for illegal foreigners in the US as Mexico has for me: I am there illegally, any citizen can arrest me and I spend four weeks in a Mexican jail until the State Department can process papers for my release and immediate deportation. I will also have to pay a huge fine prior to my release and my employer will be fined and/or imprisoned and could even lose his business.

Cut the hypocrisy and use some common sense like legalizing marijuana to take the market away from Mexican drug cartels and US gun-show war profiteers.

Most of the damn Huckabee know-it-alls here spent an afternoon in Tijuana or maybe a cheap three-day package deal in Cancun to claim their expertise on Mexico and Mexicans.

It is painfully obvious that this plan does not address the root cause of illegal immigration. These recommendations are trivial and essentially sweep the issues under the rug.

I mean, if you really want to "fix" the illegal immigration issue, how about writing a law that creates disincentives for the practice and then actually enforcing the law? But, hey, is it really the US gov't we all love if they don't reinvent the wheel every time they try to fix something?

Speaking of reinventing the wheel: The summary mentions a provision for "creating an employment verification system." Ummm...Last time I checked there was E-Verify. A program that has the same objective mentioned in Title 2. So why are we spending money to recreate a program that already exists? Or are the authors of the bill proposing creating another application the is less effective?

After reading some of the proposals, it was pretty disappointing not be be able to use "profanity and other inappropriate comments" to describe my reaction.

There is no hate in "NO AMNESTY". It's not about job competition, not about good/bad people, and even not about economics. It's about the country's sovereignty. Illegals violate the country's sovereignty - isn't that clear?
Or such a notion as sovereignty is outdated?

I am asking people what is wrong with the proposal, all the things mentioned are just wise things to do, except probably the amount of the fine, I think $2,000 would be more realistic than 500, but at least we do something with the people in the country we dont know who they are

Obviously all the guys fueled by hate here did not own a business in their life, scared of competition and thinking that everybody should lay the red carpet for them to have the jobs whenever they want and work when they feel like it, that's what I see here
Posted by: henryjazz1975
....................................
Yes, Americans do believe that American jobs should be a red carpet for Americans.

Of course the business owners are unhappy since they can not hire child labor or illegal aliens for American jobs. Why do these business owners put up with this country and not move to the countries where they can freely hire child labor or cheap labor?

Leonid
I understand what you are saying but you are not offering a solution, these guys are already here, they wont go away so better make them contribute to the economy like we do, let's try to be positive

Upholding the rule of law in this country has become so alien to most Democrats and Republicans, that a bill to give amnesty to people who broke this nation's laws is considered "reform." With the Bush II-Obama presidencies, the United States has become an Orweillian world.

I am asking people what is wrong with the proposal, all the things mentioned are just wise things to do, except probably the amount of the fine, I think $2,000 would be more realistic than 500, but at least we do something with the people in the country we dont know who they are
Posted by: henryjazz1975
.......................................
Perhaps in a time of high unemployment and a nation where Americans can only have non-exportable jobs, Americans do not want businesses that have hired illegal aliens to now be rewarded. Perhaps Americans know that amnesty for the current illegal aliens will simply invite a new invasion of cheap labor with companies that are so willing to break the law.

Henryjazz, you can stop playing your broken record. None of these comments suggests any commentor is afraid of losing their job washing dishes. That's asinine. However, when 15 million Americans are without jobs, why on earth are we worried about the 12 million who are working illegally?

But this is not really about employment fears. It is much deeper, and goes to the heart of what a country is.

America IS immigrants, and that is a very good thing. But since we can't let in 7 billion people, immigration policy must reflect national interests. Encouraging skilled, educated people to enter and help repair a slumping economy is in any nation's interests.

Having a disproportionately low-skilled group of new members of a society is not. What is needed at a time when our education and income levels are falling is to encourage skilled immigration of people from all over the world, not just those who can enter illegally.

Moreover, the idea of giving one group overwhelmingly dominated by Mexicans preference over all other peoples is racist. Why reward people at the expense of all others because they're from a certain country, or because they've broken the law and should therefore be rewarded (the logic is fantastic)? Wouldn't it be fairer to have an objective, skills-based policy rewarding the most qualified applicant, no matter where he comes from? No matter his race? No matter how little race-based political clout his people have?

Why should people who broke the law be given priority over those who respect our laws? Why should we racially discriminate against those who try to play by our rules because they are not members of a group with political clout? This legislation discriminates against every group in order to gain Hispanic votes. That is discrimination at its best.

Perhaps in a time of high unemployment and a nation where Americans can only have non-exportable jobs, Americans do not want businesses that have hired illegal aliens to now be rewarded. Perhaps Americans know that amnesty for the current illegal aliens will simply invite a new invasion of cheap labor with companies that are so willing to break the law.
..........................
What are you gonna do with these people, is statusquo more acceptable to you,it is gonna help us too because the wages will go up if there is no secondary class of citizens, no abuses, it is gonna be in our benefit to make these folks pay their share

bstanman83
I guess I am the only american that thinks we will be better off if we acknoledge their presence, make them pay taxes and contribute to the economy, what you are saying is not realistic, you cant deport all these guys, so think what you can do the country to benefit from them being here. And honestly I haven't seen too many of us willing to do what they do. Do not forget, at least 5-6 millions of those unemployed are people that dont want to work, so let's not play the populist record of "15 millions of unemployed americans"

Given the hatred and bigotry from the slimeballs commenting on the proposal,
it's obvious that the undocumented
immigrants can only improve the social fabric of the US. I wish we could send the
hate-mongers somewhere where their pestilence doesn't give us such a bad image around the world.
Posted by: jimhorn
..............................
Send the businessmen who hire illegal aliens to Mexico so they can legally profit from hiring Mexicans.

You could join them there in Mexico.

No other nation in the world allows jobs of their nation to be given to others except the United States.

France no only arrests business owners hiring illegal aliens but also anyone that assists illegal aliens.

Helping illegal immigrants a crime in France
An addendum on immigration in the 2009 Finance Law sets a quota for arrests of those who "assist" illegal aliens: 5,000 in 2009, 5,500 in 2011.

Leonid
They will not leave the country, so all discussions should start from the point that we acknoledge their presence here. And then we have to think what is in the best interest of our country, saying they have to leave and other old politics words are not realistic, we need a solution and these guys are working to give you a solution, I havent seen one republican doing something constructive all they do just criticize what democrats do

bstanman83
I guess I am the only american that thinks we will be better off if we acknoledge their presence, make them pay taxes and contribute to the economy, what you are saying is not realistic, you cant deport all these guys, so think what you can do the country to benefit from them being here. And honestly I haven't seen too many of us willing to do what they do. Do not forget, at least 5-6 millions of those unemployed are people that dont want to work, so let's not play the populist record of "15 millions of unemployed americans"
Posted by: henryjazz1975
......................................................................................
In 2003 I did work mopping and digging holes for low wages. My wages would have been higher if wages were not held down by the use of illegal aliens.

There are plenty of Americans now willing to do the work. This is not a time of plenty when the temporary workers in retail stores are college graduates.
There are hundreds of Americans that apply for a job as a custodian.

Shove your "5-6 millions of those unemployed that dont want to work".
There are Americans who are willing to do the work.

The United States does not have to deport the illegal aliens. Put the business owners in jail and the illegal aliens will leave on their own.

"I guess I am the only american that thinks we will be better off if we acknoledge their presence, make them pay taxes and contribute to the economy, what you are saying is not realistic, you cant deport all these guys, so think what you can do the country to benefit from them being here. And honestly I haven't seen too many of us willing to do what they do. Do not forget, at least 5-6 millions of those unemployed are people that dont want to work, so let's not play the populist record of "15 millions of unemployed americans"

So we also aknowledge the fact that we have to pay for them to learn english, pay for them to learn how to use social services, pay for them to breed anchor babies, pay for them to be incarcerated, pay for them to get free medical care...and listen to them demand even more!!

First, I would like to say that I have been involved in the immigration process and procedures. I am sure that you can agree that the word "efficient" would not be a word you would use to describe anything that happens in a USCIS office. Unfortunately, the process of achieving legal immigration is just one of the many issues that could be addressed in comprehensive immigration reform.

One of the primary issues that I have with the summary is that the proposals are not in fact "comprehensive" but merely cursory solutions to the most politically sensitive parts of the immigration process.

More to your comment however, I think that what you are saying goes to the heart of the matter. The fact that companies can hire an illegal immigrant at prices lower than minimum wage actually creates the incentive for the practice of illegal immigration.

I agree that immigrant labor plays a large factor in the shelf price of goods that are purchased. However, I would argue that American society pays a much higher price when government policies create incentives for lower operating costs rather than investing in it's citizens. Case in point is the US Chamber of Commerce. This organization is a business lobby that is very pro-immigrant and pro-business. However, their position has indirectly incentivized illegal immigration. At the same time, they produce reports showing how bad American school systems are, and how Americans are not graduating will essential skills.
However, very little is written about their investment in school systems, to produce the type of workers that are competitive. Instead, it seems they find it much easier to advocate for lower wage workers from other countries that will fill the positions at the least cost. So, when gov't institutions are not advocating for its own citizens, we have major problems. I think that would be a issue that needs to be resolved no matter what country it is.

Why should Americans need to compete with foreigners for jobs in the United States, for Chris-sakes? Let's face it, half of American citizens are born on the left side of the Bell curve through no fault of their own and they NEED the kind of manual labor, low skill jobs that illegal Mexicans from the south side of the border steal.

This silly taunting by Hispanophiles, asking us why we are afraid of lil' old Mexican stoop laborers competing for our jobs, is infuriating. Mexicans put little or nothing into the tax pot, but they take out a whole lot. California, with the eighth largest economy in the world, has been driven into penury by the welfare demands of lil' old Mexican stoop laborers and their kiddies. They were also big time defaulters on no-doc subprime loans, so they played a key role in our current economic crisis. For all this, we should award them citizenship?

Fuhgeddaboudit! This amnesty ploy by the professional Hispanics in Congress is just meant to keep illegals hanging around for the 2010 census.

Actually, such a move at this time would make a tremendous amount of sense in certain circles... but not in all circles.

With a rapid expansion of people who will now be eligible for City, State and Federal Services... e.g. these formerly illegal immigrants who will soon be in the fast-lane for legal status without delays based on their having violated arcane laws of our nation in the past... we will drive a rapid increase in US employment.

This employment growth will be largely limited to the membership of SEUI ... who represent unionized government workers who will be hired to process paperwork, sign-off on various program eligibilities, and help the government employment ranks grow (and enjoy increasing salaries) while the private sector and households tighten their belts and pay higher taxes to fund this disaster in the making... But that's OK with the D's (short for their party name, and higher than the grade they'll earn for this project)

All we'll be left with is the "change" on our dressers. I can believe that. You should too.

This organization is a business lobby that is very pro-immigrant and pro-business. However, their position has indirectly incentivized illegal immigration. At the same time, they produce reports showing how bad American school systems are, and how Americans are not graduating with essential skills.
Posted by: seriously11
.......................................................
Finally some recognition that business groups have pretended that the use of cheap labor was caused because of the problems in education in the United States.

America led the world in computer technology in 2000. There were hundred of thousands of American jobs in computer technology. There were millions of American jobs based upon the use of computer technology. American students in the thousands flocked to enroll in courses in computer technology, and when they graduated had well paying jobs.

Then in 2002 millions of jobs in computer technology, and jobs using computer technology started to be outsourced overseas, and also given to foreign workers on visas.

Now in 2009 there are very few jobs in computer technology or using computers for Americans. The American students enrolled in computer technology courses are few, since all Americans know that there will be no jobs for Americans as the jobs will be outsourced overseas, or given to immigrants on H-1B visa.

Business group claim that Americans are suddenly too uneducated for jobs in computer computer technology and jobs using computer technology.

This is the reason for someone in India who can barely speak English, speaking to an American about their account in an American Bank instead of an American.

Americans had better start acting else there will not be a job left for Americans that has not been stripped by companies that will say anything to continue to use cheap labor.

The outsourcing visa program needs to be ended. The H1b/L1 has destroyed innovation and created high unemployment. We have lost a generation of our best scientists because of this corrupt program. Remember when the US could innovate? Well, the H1b ended that.

It's been far too long, and I want to be part of this society and have my rights , right now!

I pay my bills, taxes, go to school, and please, to those who says we steal American jobs, i dare you to tell me if you would clean bathrooms, offices, and stuff like that! NEVER!

Those American that could do this kind of job, are getting their welfare check and spending on booze everyday and drinking at every major city in America. Do you think we steal their jobs? No!, they are just lazy, and employers needs someone to actually work.

Everyone must be warned before coming to the United States. Even if you have a visa, you are putting yourself at risk of Homeland Security ICE officers. I have a friend that is from Paris France here on an education visa to finish his degree. He has been here since 2005. His visa is valid until March of 2010, His passport is valid until 2014, and his I-20 is current. He is not illegal. In 2008 He fell in love and married a U.S. citizen that just happens to be addicted to Prescription medications, He knew nothing about this. But he was arrested due to her mistakes. He was placed in detention, scheduled for deportation. He has been in detention center in Pompano Beach Florida for 5 months now. All this because of her mistakes. She should be the one in jail not him. Please everyone coming to America. Think twice. This couple has lost all there savings on lawyers, she lost her job, and they are in the process of losing there home. All this was caused because ICE has the wrong person in jail. They make up any story they want and when they are questioned about it you get nowhere. I have written many letters to Janet Napolitano, Senator Bill Nelson, Representative Ginny Brown-Waite and even President Obama. But no one will listen. So please people think twice about coming to America for any reason. Our immigration system is broken ….they all agree, but you put your life at risk when you enter our borders. Even if you follow the rules you may also lose everything as this couple has. No one will listen, no one cares. This man has never even had a traffic violation and is 51 yrs old. He has never worked in America has always been self supporting and took nothing from Americans social services. His American dream has turned into a night mare. Shame on America. I think it is about time someone revised this immigration and ICE practice. What is illeagle in this case is the way DHS is treating this guy.John Morton and Janet N. should be ashamed of themselves.This is just wrong. While in there detention center they have abused him, denied him food and proper medical treatment. He is diabetic and they will not give him the proper food or medical attention. I think it is terrable.The phone system is very poor and not working everyday. They plan it that way so they can not contact there lawyers and family. Someone needs to stop ICE, They are totally out of control. I fear He will be next on the long list of persons that have died while in detention. Until you go to one of these detention centers and see with your own eyes, you will not believe what America is doing. I was shocked, on my first visit and after almost 6 months of seeing what happens, how they have to live. I am still in shock.Trust me it is all about money. He is in a private prison owned by a company called GEO based near Miami fl.They are paid very well by our tax dollars,but the treatment is unbelievable. I just have to close by saying shame on America. I have seen it with my own eyes.

American jobs that do not require a great deal of education for Americans are now the jobs of illegal aliens because of cheap labor.

American jobs for Americans in computer technology no longer exists since these are now the jobs of foreign workers because of cheap labor.

American jobs for Americans using computer technology no longer exists since these are now the jobs of foreign workers because of cheap labor.

The President of the United States tells Americans that the jobs of the 21st century for Americans are in installing insulation and caulking.

The President of the United States “lectured teachers, students and parents on the need to “step up their games” if the United States wants to compete with India in the global economy, as though it is education why someone in India who can barely speak English is working for American bank speaking to an American about their account, instead of an American.

There will be no jobs for Americans until Americans start to demand that American jobs be given to Americans and not simply given to cheap labor.

I pay my bills, taxes, go to school, and please, to those who says we steal American jobs, i dare you to tell me if you would clean bathrooms, offices, and stuff like that! NEVER!
Posted by: vivache
........................
Buy a plane ticket home vivache.

I cleaned out toilets so you can go home.
And if you want to be an American citizen join the American Army and gain your citizenship that way. I know Americans that became citizens that way.

I have a friend that is from Paris France here on an education visa to finish his degree.
Posted by: cmcginnis12
........................................................
You are right we should adopt some of the laws of France
Helping illegal immigrants a crime in France Assocaited Press

We must all remember that we all came from somewhere and the only true americans are the native american indians or the amerindians for those who do not their history.You keep making references to the jobs that illegals take away from citizens when half the citizens I know are on welfare,strung out on crack or on the street corner drinking $0.50 beers.Do you sincerely expect illegals to go back where they came from and leave their american born kids to go thru the system where they will be abused in everyway possible.Remember this we all live once,we all die once and we all have to answer God.Tell me which God you serve?

We must all remember that we all came from somewhere and the only true americans are the native american indians or the amerindians for those who do not their history.You keep making references to the jobs that illegals take away from citizens when half the citizens I know are on welfare,strung out on crack or on the street corner drinking $0.50 beers.Do you sincerely expect illegals to go back where they came from and leave their american born kids to go thru the system where they will be abused in everyway possible.Remember this we all live once,we all die once and we all have to answer God.Tell me which God you serve?

50% of all the fresh fruits and vegetables in your grocery store come from California. 85% of all the farmworkers in California are undocumented immigrants. If you send all the immigrants home and jail the employers there will not be enough food to eat.

People need to change their tone and show a little gratitude to all the hardworking Mexicans whose cheap labor provides affordable food for Americans.

Everyone who wants to work 14 hours a day picking grapes and getting sprayed with pesticides raise your hand.

i would like to see a fair immigrant, reform. i was born in the USA my mother and father are from mexico. my wife is from mexico,she was in U.S illgal. we been married for 10yrs. we have to boys togther 6yr and 8yr old both born in the U.S. we decided to do the right think .I summit a petition for her greencard we were told the only way is to go to the US consulate in Ciudad Juarez,mex, well she was denied for a visa due that she was in the US illgaly.The only way she can come back to the US i had to proof extreme hard ship i did and still thay denied her visa. i have to be dieing .homeland securty don't care. i lost my home. had to move my family to a border town so i can still go to work so i can provide for my wife and kids .my kids can't evan go to school in the US becuse thay don't live in the US the only way thay can going to school if i pay $8,000 per kid a year,so the kind of immigrant reform i would like to see first is the familys of US CITIZENS

I've worked as a dishwasher, cook, doorman, laborer, ...and later financial consultant and salesman.

I deeply admired my friend Phonsak who came here legally in the migration from Laos in the 1970's. He worked so hard he shamed me into working hard as a dishwasher. He did better than I did in school, too. I'm sure he's having a successful life in Southern California today.

I like immigrants who come here legally and work hard. They are a shining example of what makes America GREAT.

I just think you should pay $50,000 for jumping the border - regardless of which one you jump or your country of origin.

From my browse of the summary, it looks like the bill does nothing to invite and retain skilled workers, and everything to make it easier for unskilled illegals with anchor babies to stay. Que verguenza!

No illegals...not now not ever. Legal status for people who have no regard for our laws makes no sense at all. I don't care how long you've been here or how many children you have. You broke our laws to come here, you broke our laws to work here and you don't belong here. Get the heck out until you can get in line and come in legally. You have slapped every person who did it the right way in the face.

I have friends who are naturalized citizens, one from South Africa and 2 from China. They came here legally, worked hard and became citizens as fast as they could.I have great respect for people who do it the RIGHT way.....NO respect for illegal border jumpers!!

...that illegals take away from citizens when half the citizens I know are on welfare,strung out on crack or on the street corner drinking $0.50 beers.
Posted by: vince4lyfe
............................
Yes and I suppose all the American jobs sent to India, China, and Russia because of cheap labor are because Americans are too lazy, or on crack.

No one blames illegal aliens for wanting to work. But do not insult us. You are here because of business owners that break our laws and who would rather have cheap labor than pay Americans the rightful wages for the job that they want done. You and the Americans that they deny the wages they should receive, are dirt to these business owners. Go home. You are as welcome to this country as the Americans that employ you.

People, people get a grip and be realistic! All you NO AMNESTY folks are not thinking and are not helping solve the problem. If you don't come off your high horses and calm down what is this country going to do? March every illegal immigrant to the border! Please you like your cheap fruits and vegetables, clean bathrooms, low cost remodel, the list goes on....business would surely tank if all the "cumbersome" regulations really took effect. This is a natural cycle in this country import low cost labor so somebody else can get rich. Just today we like to believe we have borders and a immigration system. Wake up! We are a nation built on Christian values WWJD?

Just a thought/observation: how many mexicans have you seen panhandling? From what I've seen, the vast majority of them are getting up early and work long hours, non union low paid jobs. The mexican neigborhoods, at least in my city are considered fairly safe. I think the proposed fine should be zero. They are being fined every day by our government that is denying them any rights but the one to remain in the shadow and provide cheap labor to "us," 1st-class citizens.

Most of the politicians in Washington, both Republican and Democrat, desperately want to avoid dealing with the fact that our immigration policy is bringing in 125,000 new foreign workers EACH MONTH -- while allowing 8 million illegal alien workers to keep their jobs.

Also being ignored is that each and every one of these 8 million illegal aliens has used a fraudulent SSN to file their I-9s, W-4s, etc. since the figure does not include day laborers. The SSNs these illegal's use could be yours or your child's or your parents and if so it will RUIN your life.

Those who come here illegally, steal our IDs and ignore our laws have already demonstrated they lack the honesty and decency to ever become American citizens.

Total US Unemployed Citizens and Legal Residents = 15,375,000
The figures above exclude 6,011,000 Persons who want a job but are not included for various reasons.
Total Number of Americans Looking for Work = 21,386,000

Pew Study estimate of working Illegal Immigrants = 7,500,000
The majority work in agriculture, office and house cleaning, construction, and food preparation. Only in Agriculture where H2A is available does the number of working Illegal Immigrants exceed the number of unemployed Americans.

How does one write about something with the political status of anti-matter? This bill will not be moved because even Nancy Pelosi isn't stupid enough to permit the Democratic Party from committing suicide in 2010. The American people have made it crystal clear on every occasion they've been asked whether they want amnesty and a massive increase of immigration by the unskilled and uneducated. They have said "no" emphatically on every occasion. For lawmakers to continue to pursue this issue reminds one of the danger of "usurpation" of the people's power that the Founders warned against in the Federalist Papers. The governing political and financial elite wants this bill -- but not the vast majority of the American people. The only question is how much this debate will harm civil discourse and fragment the polity. Since supporters real motives are ones they cannot share with the American people -- the corporate service sector wants an endless supply of cheap labor to drop wages and working conditions for all American workers; the Hispanic caucus is playing extreme and dangerous identity politics; and some in the Democratic Party believe they can create a permanent majority -- they rely on others: demonizing opponents as "racists" and xenophobes; claiming that "God is on their side" by misquoting Scripture, and making the preposterous case that the "immigrants" (a term that only means legal ones) will do jobs Americans won't. That's a myth. The only reason Americans won't do jobs is that they pay too low, and they pay so low because illegal aliens will do them. With a Federal U-6 Unemployment rate at 17.5% it is cruel madness to push for additional foreign workers or amnesty those already here. What we need, instead, is attrition: tight border controls and the internal application of immigration law to make life uncomfortable for the illegal population so they will self-deport. It has been working -- though Obama and Napoletano have tried to stop it by cutting back enforcement, especially ICE raids on workplaces employing large numbers of illegal workers. This is NOT ABOUT xenophobia or racism. It's about massive illegal immigration -- the source or the culture of the arrivals is irrelevant -- when we have no further need of unskilled labor, especially at a time of great economic hardship. Congress should wake up -- especially if members wish to retain their seats, and the only principle most seem to uphold is belief in their own incumbencies.

ATTRITION THROUGH ENFORCEMENT NOT AMNESTY !!!!!! IF CONGRESS AND THE SENATE PASS AMNESTY THEY WILL HAVE A REVOLUTION ON THEIR HANDS THE AMERICAN CITIZENS WILL NOT STAND FOR ALLOWING BORDER CRIMINALS TO BECOME CITIZENS AND START SUCKING SOCIAL SERVICES DRY ALONG WITH TAKING OUR JOBS!!!!

Yet another attempt to shove amnesty down the throats of the American people. We already went down this road in 1986 and look where it got us?? Border is still wide open and 13 million MORE illegals. Great job Washington!!!! Bunch of god damn idiots. No wonder congress has a 21% approval rating!!! PATHETIC!!!

Go to NUMBERSUSA.COM to stop the amnesty!! Petition your elected reps for free!!!

.....you are here because of business owners that break our laws and who would rather have cheap labor than pay americans the rightful wages for the job that they want done.bsallamack. No am here because of me and my ambition and to make use of the opportunities that people like you take for granted.I've been living here illegally for 16 years and I proud to say that I've worked and paid my fair share of taxes and have never accepted government help not even wic when I was pregnant.I am happy to say that I have my own business that employs over 10 american citizens. God knows where they would have been without my illegal presence.Are you a native american or a descendent? We all came from somewhere check your ancestry.

yes mr/ms bsallamack you are so right about jobs going overseas because of cheap labor it just goes to show that you and your so call colleagues are so lazy that's the reason why employers have to employ illegals to fill your space and to keep the remainder of the jobs from going overseas.It's because of people like you is the reason why the economy is in shamble. America was built on the back of immigrants. Their blood , sweat and tears are in the land so they are going to keep on coming here and when we are long gone and our bodies turn to dust there will still be illegal immigrants. Thank you for your input but it is not appreciated so sit back in your rocking chair chew your tobacco and make life take it course.

Five hundred dollars for citizenship? Let’s add a couple of zeros, the ‘polleros’ charge more and I am sure that people would be lining up to pay $50.000 for the opportunity to reside in the US.

Eliminate anyone that has received public assistance. Stop birthright citizenship for the children of foreign nationals; this benefits no US citizen and is the gateway to expensive entitlements. No one that enters illegally should ever be granted legal residency.

Luis needs to add these requirements to his bill before any serious debate begins on what to do with the millions of ‘non legal residents’ present in the US. Immigration policy should always be dictated by the needs of the US and not the needs of the immigrant.

Democrats are pushing amnesty because they think it's their ticket to power forever. Too stupid to realize that amnesty for 20 million illegals here now with NO LOYALTY TO THIS COUNTRY means that we will become a third world nation in three to five years and they, like us, WILL BECOME SUBSERVIENT TO THEM! NO AMNESTY FOR LAWBREAKERS!! Enforce the law!!

This bill stinks......but it will keep coming back, because Congress does not have the guts to stand up and enforce our laws. We have perfectly GOOD laws, we have perfectly bad public officials who have refused to enforce them in both Democratic and Republican Congresses, and Democratic and Republican Administrations.

Someone might want to review the philosophy of John Locke here.

The ONLY exception I would make for illegals are for those serving in the military. If they are willing to fight and die for the country, then I can accept them as an exception, but they should be studying for and acquiring citizenship while they are in military service so that they come out citizens.

Otherwise: Send ALL the criminals home, because EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM broke the law to get here, and every public official that panders to them is aiding and abetting a felony, which I believe is a felony.

You brag about cheating a system you say you want to be part of........if you have your own business and employ American citizens, then you have committed several other felonies since you have been here.

You justify coming illegally by the contribution you make....what you really represent is a poster for those who would destroy the U. S. I wonder what you pay your employees? Are you another slave broker who works to keep wages low so that they can live in luxury? You openly admit to being a criminal, now besides immigration violations, you have committed fraud if you own a business.

You are just an criminal trying to justify yourself. We LOVE immigrants, but immigrants are NOT illegal aliens. They are scourge on our society, who have allowed unconscionalble employers to artificially deflate wages and threaten the very ideas we are built on. Go home and come back the LEGAL WAY and I will welcome you with open arms, until then, you are just another sleazy criminal.

Their blood , sweat and tears are in the land so they are going to keep on coming here and when we are long gone and our bodies turn to dust there will still be illegal immigrants.

__________________________________________

Ohhhh, just like cockroaches, makes perfect sense.

There won't be an amnesty, we already went down this road once and it was shut down, even with a republican president's support. The far left is forced to at least try though because all the stupid beaners are watching and waiting. They'll propose the bill, it'll be shot down just like the last one and then they can say, "well, we tried." But there's no way in hell that the American people are going to allow another amnesty, not gonna happen, already tried, so sorry.

How many stupid people do we have in this country? Don't you see that these 12 million imigrants will never be deported? The longer we take to comply with a comprehensive immigration reform, the more we'll continue to pay for the cost of all this. These people will continue to live in here anyway, you idiots. If they are ligalized, they will help us to defray the expenses of health care, taxes, and everything alse. It is physically impossivel to deport 12 million people. Moreover, the cost of such massive deportation is billion of dollars, and guess who will pay for that again...? So, don't be stupid by imaging what will never happened. If a comprehensive immigration reform doesn't come to pass, these 12 million people will continue to drive on our roads with no driver's license, they will take jobs for a few dollars, degrading the value of labor in this country, and so on. So, let's stop being stupit and starting acting with some sense, otherwise get ready to continue paying the bill alone!!!!!!!!

VC1016,
So are illegals using stolen and fraudulent identification documents criminals? You'll probably say no, and yet an American committing such acts would most definitely be considered a criminal. Any "immigrant" whose first act is to violate our laws, then continues to violate other laws EVERY day does not deserve my sympathy or our country's legal forgiveness. Go out in the middle of the night to seek them out? No, just deport EVERY time they are stopped while driving illegally, etc.

There is only one result to a mass amnesty: more illegal immigration. It's our history. Learn from it.

I see a lot of uneducated, closed minded and racist people here.
Instead of wasting your time posting stupid comments attacking undocumented workers, why don't you utilize your time to make a change so that all the WELFARE, CHEATERS COLLECTORS stop taking taxpayers money.
Your're attacking the wrong people!!! Open your eyes and support an Immigration Reform. Justiceforall....!!!!

This is what I don't understand-why are we so much in a hurry to legalize illegals when the immigration agencies can't do their job right now and I know about immigrants who have been here for over 10 years, done everything the legal way and are now having to pay a LAWYER over $4000 to help speed up the process-allowing illegals to just pay a measly $500 fine is akin to a slap in the face of all these good people who are here working, paying taxes, and still can't get their citizenship because of the lack of employees in the immigration agencies or their lack of expertise to speed things up. Another thing, La Raza, a radical group, wants to make America's lands belong to Mexico-and the Mexican president also tells them to take their heritage with them-now if you come to America, you take up America's laws and live by them and love this country, not try your best to rally illegals to riot, protest, and then pretend you are all for the "humanity" issues. Anchor babies could easily be stopped-Abraham Lincoln passed the law to allow all slaves to automatically become citizens-this was needed and should have been done but this law is now outdated and it should be repealed so that the American taxpayers don't have to provide medical care, welfare,and other give aways that our own citizens can't get. Build the rest of the fence, tell Homeland Security to do what they are supposed to do instead of holding back ICE and other agencies and putting Illegals in hotels, etc. instead of deporting them. In addition to the over 12 million illegals we think we know about, there is already over 800,000 immigrants brought here by businesses and granted long term visas that are taking the jobs of Americans. Australia just passed a new 50 year immigration law that states that just so many are allowed in order to keep their resources and jobs, living conditions for their own citizens first. In America, we only used to allow 250,000 new immigrants a year in order to save our resources, jobs, and lands for our own citizens and now it's a mess and congress hasn't taken any steps in a long time to stop this. Obama's executive order for $20.3 million dollars to bring and sustain Palestinans this year is another thing to look at-who are they and how many of them are coming?? The administration and the democrats are just buying votes because they know 2010 is going to be very hard on them because Americans are sick and tired of their spending sprees, this dumb health care thing, and the EPA's threats to do what it wants unless congress passes cap and trade-what a farce and what corruption. I am sick of all of it. Hurry, hurry, because we don't want Americans to know what we are really setting them up for and how fast we are going to take control of their lives and ruin our economy is the path of this admininstration and congress's liberal democrats...God bless America...

I liken proposed comprehensive illegal immigration fixes to a legal system that, after capturing someone who has broken into a bank, tells them they are going to have to pay a fine, so here are the keys to the vault. Take what you need, pay the fine, and feel free to do it again.

NEW HC.... FORCES USA PUBLIC TO PAY TAXES FOR EVERY ILLEGAL ANYONE'S TO SET UP SHOP IN USA & MORE....

THAT'S INADDITION TO THE AMNESTY THEY want for any ILLEGAL ANYBODY rendering the USA PUBLIC AS MINORITY group in the USA FORCED to pay for the ILLEGALS TAXES & HEALTHCARE same as SHARIA LAW BECAUSE it is SHARIA LAW DIGUISED under a DIFFERENT NAME.

DID YA KNOW THAT an ear infection left UNTREATED will cause permanent handicapping & death even MORE SO IN YOUR CHILD.

DID YA KNOW...THAT an allergy asthma left UNTREATED will cause permanent handicapping & death even MORE SO IN YOUR CHILD.

well, the DEMS HAVE KNOWN ALL ALONG and are STILL WILLING TO SELL USA PUBLIC DOWN THE RIVER....

To the present it's only one of the 1 % group of people attempting to destroy our Nation's economic systems.

WHY??? It was said to a WASH DC VIP---that the reason the Socialists think they will win this time and are doing this is because ACLU and their DEMS SLUGS -- they don't think American's are " smart enough" to care to let their fingers do the walking to protect their lands, their CONSTITUTION or their freedoms. The DEMS and ACLU don't think the 99% of American's will be 'smart enough" to CARE about their country, their homes, their small business enough to kick the WASH DC SLUGS out and send them packing by way of Balagovich for NOT doing what is right to protect PUBLIC freedoms and the free enterprise system (ie meaning small business/med business) and rights.

SOCIALISM ONLY works when the PUBLIC is cold, hungry & angry... exactly what the SOC HEALTHCARE, CO-OP & PUBLIC OPTION will ensure to do to the PUBLIC.

SEEK legal and legislative agencies whom protect our CONSTITUTION

"Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery"… Winston Churchill

see American center for law and justice OR GOOGLE the problems with socialized health care OR GOOGLE handsoffmyhealth.org OR GOOGLE bigGovhealth.org OR stoptheaclu.com OR Southeastern Legal Foundation OR health science institute OR familysecuritymatters.org OR 60plus.org